Positive changes start with listening to and supporting our city’s young people. We must help our children succeed, for they are the most significant reflection of the present and the most accurate predictor of our future.
Recently, UNICEF USA designated the City of Houston as the first City in the United States to become a Candidate for UNICEF Child Friendly City recognition. This designation reaffirms Houston’s dedication to placing children’s needs first, listening to youth’s challenges and recommendations, and advocating for and protecting child rights.
Houston is proud to champion children’s rights by designing a permanent system to make children an active, essential part of all the City’s policies, plans, and programs. The Mayor’s Office of Education leads the Child Friendly Cities Initiative (CFCI) in the City of Houston and has worked collaboratively with city leaders, government agencies, and most importantly, youth and families to achieve this historic distinction.
We are incredibly excited and humbled to gain this national distinction. Houston has done a lot of work, and we will do more to ensure that all youth are allowed to have a seat at the table and a viable voice in the decisions being made in Houston. This process has been a city-wide effort, and we look forward to continuing our work with UNICEF.
“It’s a momentous occasion, and we are proud of the city of Houston for its longstanding commitment to creating a safer, more equitable, just, and inclusive community for its children and for prioritizing mental health, emergency response, and youth participation,” said UNICEF USA President & CEO, Michael J. Nyenhuis.
Mayor’s Back to School Fest
As children return to school throughout the Houston area, I recently welcomed thousands of students and their families to the 12th Annual Mayor’s Back to School Fest presented by Shell. After two years as a drive-through and no-contact distribution due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will return to an in-person event at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
The annual fest presented by Shell USA, Inc. helps economically disadvantaged Houston-area elementary school students and their families as they prepare to return to school. In addition to backpacks, we provided a health fair that included vision screening, dental checkups, and immunizations.
With the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Houston families cannot afford backpacks and school supplies. My administration is focused on creating equity, particularly for our children. Families have been hit hard by health issues or unemployment, so this event is intended to provide them some relief. I thank our sponsors for stepping up to the plate to help. Due to their generosity, thousands of kids will have the tools they need for a successful start to the school year.
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